


Broken Promise

by SpellCasterLight



Category: Naruto
Genre: F/M, Feelings of Inadequacy, Mild Swearing, Self Challenge Tenten Week 2021
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-04
Updated: 2021-03-04
Packaged: 2021-03-17 08:08:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,661
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29838570
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SpellCasterLight/pseuds/SpellCasterLight
Summary: "I-I broke our promise," the beginning tears started to fall from her eyes." I broke our promise Lee." [Shino x Tenten] Self-Challenge Tenten Week – Day 2 Prompt: Promise
Relationships: Aburame Shino/Tenten
Kudos: 10





	Broken Promise

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto in any way shape or form. This story is purely for entertainment not profit.
> 
> Author's Notes: Self Challenge Tenten Week 2021 Day 2! Just a little feels story =]
> 
> Pairing Warning: It also goes without saying but if [Shino x Tenten] isn't your thing turn back now.
> 
> Warnings: Mild Swearing. Feelings of Inadequacy.
> 
> Self-Challenge Tenten Week – Day 2 Prompt: Promise

Training had just officially ended, not because they wanted it to but because Gai had been called for a mission and Neji had informed them that he needed to return home straight after training or there would be consequences, their teammate being strangely evasive about what said consequences would be.

"I don't like the Hyuga," Tenten couldn't help the words that fell out of her mouth before flinging the kunai she held at the target. "At least not from what Neji has told us."

"I must agree," Lee replied from where he was walking around their training grounds on his hands. "It makes me wonder if all clans act in the same manner."

"I hope not!" The weapons user threw a senbon that time, making another distinct thump noise. "If so, they're all stuck up."

"Strict," Lee tried to correct but that just made her continue, adding another metal weapon to the two already embedded in the target with every word.

"Criticising," _thump_.

"Judging," _thump_.

"Uncompromising," _thump_.

"Unforgiving," _thump_.

"Assholes," _thump_.

"Friend Tenten! Language!"

She laughed at that. "Sorry Lee."

With a sigh she let herself fall into a cross legged sitting position on the grass and with a smooth crabs bend to standing and then sitting Lee joined her.

"Let's make a promise to each other," Tenten began smirking at her friend. "Neither of us will fall in love with a clan member; especially not anyone important," she scrunched up her nose like she had just smelt something bad. "It's not worth all the heartache."

"I sadly must agree," the taijutsu user added before looking starry eyed. "But it is of no consequence to me friend Tenten! For my heart is already taken! And she is not a clan member!"

"Really?" Tenten asked looking both amazed and curious. "Who?"

"You will find out soon enough friend!"

The bun haired girl grinned at the happy look on her teammates face. "Alright keep your secrets!"

She laughed when she shoved him and he fell over, she only laughed harder when he gave her puppy dog eyes from his curled-up position on the ground.

* * *

The war was over, and they had just said an official goodbye to their fallen friends, family and loved ones.

She lingered at Neji's grave long after everyone had left, and when she shivered lightly from a cold breeze that appeared the weapons user chuckled lightly when she realised Neji himself would tell her to go home and rest, not to stand out in the cold looking at a slab of granite that couldn't talk back.

With a final promise to look after Hinata for him she pated the headstone and started heading for the exit closest to her home.

The weapons mistress had to stop only a few meters after she started when she saw someone else in the graveyard, she assumed she was the last one there.

Tenten was simply going to walk on, let whoever it was grieve in peace but when she recognised who it was, she made her way over.

Shino was a silent guy, but this felt different, a deeper, more emotional silence that had enveloped him that his normal aura.

The Team Gai member didn't speak for the first minute she was beside him, the darker aura around him almost making it hard to speak. The name on the tombstone he was staring at, unmoving, said 'Torune Aburame'.

"Who-who is it?" She managed to say before biting her lip.

Looking at the headstone all she could deduce was that he was a clan member.

"He; was my brother."

Her head snapped round and lifted wide eyed to the Aburame heirs, still covered by goggles but not his coats, face.

"Your _brother_?"

The bun haired woman didn't know Shino had a brother, she assumed he was an only child like her, what other major facts did she not know about her friend?

"We did not know what happened to him; after he joined ROOT," her heart nearly broke completely at his defeated and tired tone. "He was; reanimated; in the battle," Shino's head lifted to the sky. "At least I got to say goodbye. It is; more; than other people were able to do."

Tenten leant her head on his shoulder then and wrapped her arms around him in a hug; the Aburame stilled, clearly unused to the physical affection but she didn't let go.

"I'm sorry you had to go through that," the weapons mistress told him honestly.

He placed his hands on her forearms, shifting them slightly, like he was unsure if he was holding her right, it made her smile. When his hands stilled and gripped her arms tighter, he finally replied.

"Thank you; Tenten."

She simply hugged him tighter.

* * *

She shouted his name when he threw himself in front of her taking the fire jutsu straight to the chest and in her blind panic she threw every piece of weaponry she had left at the enemy ninja, taking him down only a second later.

"Shino! Shino?!" The weapons mistress crawled over to him Ino already at his side healing him.

"What the hell were you thinking?" She couldn't help but scream at the Aburame. "Don't do anything that stupid again Shino you hear me?!" Her face fell then. "You're not allowed to leave us."

It was still too soon after Neji's death, she couldn't lose another friend, she couldn't lose someone else she held dear to her.

Shino already fully healed apparently since Ino's hands were no longer glowing a healing green and the insect user took a hold of her arm then to bring her attention back to him.

"I can assure you Tenten; I am not leaving you."

He said it so simply, so honestly that a part of her almost believed him.

"Yea well," she punched him in the arm for good measure. "You better not."

The bun haired girl heard Ino laugh at them then.

* * *

"I have to say Shino; I hate this thing," Tenten pulled on his black collar making an annoyed face.

She told him one day when their friends had ordered their meal and were simply making small talk until the food arrived.

"I've been telling him that for years!" Kiba added flinging an arm over her shoulders from her right. "Good lot of nothing it did me!"

"Why do you have a dislike; for it?" Shino asked.

"It's a Team Gai thing," she shrugged with a light laugh. "We like things open in front of us, where we can read, we like—" she paused to think of the wording she wanted as she gave the collar another small tug. "-we like; honesty."

She saw his forehead crease in a frown. "I am honest."

"Are you?" The weapons mistress pulled a contemplative face; eyes focusing on the metal clip holding the material together. "I don't know that."

The hive user pushed on. "I have never lied to you."

Tenten was stubborn in what she believed if nothing else. "Not lying and not being honest are not the same thing."

"You seem to speak from experience," the Aburame stated in an almost question.

"The point is you're hiding, _this-"_ she pulled on his collar again. "-is _hiding_."

When he went quiet for just slightly too long to be a natural pause she wondered if she had touched a nerve.

"Have you ever considered; I am not hiding?" He posed making her own frown of confusion appear. "And it is for; protection; instead."

That made her frown harder. "What do you need protection from?"

Shino Aburame was smart, talented, came from a good family, loyal, caring, emotional sound, the weapons mistress couldn't think of anything he would need protection from.

"Everyone requires protection from something; Tenten."

Her fingers played with the material, course and rough and thick.

"What if I promised to protect you instead?"

Her thumb made a small circle around the clip then, as she thought about how much she didn't want her friend to be afraid of anything, not if she could do something about it.

"I'd protect you Shino."

It was at that moment several of their friends made large noises of happiness when the waitress started bringing down their dishes and the topic was dropped abruptly, but she couldn't stop herself sneaking glances at him over their dinner, feeling a cloud form above them at the dropped conversation.

The next time she saw him she was stunned, no black coat in sight; and when he spotted her, she could see his lips form a smile and she beamed. Yes, no black collar ever again please!

* * *

Shikamaru gave Ino an open glare before stomping off down the road.

Ino pulled a thinking face. "I think he might be upset."

"Gee; you think?" Kiba scoffed at the blonde making her confusion at Shikamaru's exit turned into anger at Kiba at being made fun of.

When the Inuzuka and the Yamanaka started arguing, even as they continued to walk down the street. Tenten turned to the man beside her. "Shino; I have a request."

He turned to her. "I am; listening."

"If I'm ever murdered, and you need to put a team together to find the killer, please don't put Ino on the team," the bun haired girl grinned. "Her deductive skills don't seem to be all that; _well defined_."

The weapons user would have sworn up and down she actually heard Shino chuckle. "I will; do my best."

She laughed and she felt him place a hand on her back as he started to lead her in the same direction the other two had started walking.

"However;" he continued. "I hope that day never comes."

"Me too!" Tenten agreed throwing her fists up with a smirk. "If I ever go down before old age, I hope it's in the field and I hope I take the basterd down with me!"

She felt Shino's fingers flinch against the bottom of her spine.

"If you were ever taken from me; I am not sure; I would be able to; to control my anger. To-"

At his tone she stopped walking to face him, almost a little concerned at the sudden knife-like edge his voice held, she had never heard him sound so, for lack of a better word, enraged.

"-to stop myself; from killing them on site."

Her hands resting on his shoulders then and that seemed to relax his suddenly tense being but only just.

"Hey Shino, it's okay. It was just a joke."

She tried to smile off her joke but, given their line of work, it was, unfortunately, a very real possibility.

"You may have meant it; in a humorous fashion," the hive users hands moved to cup her face, making her pulse speed up. "But I gave you a; truthful; answer anyway."

"Hey, you two love birds!" They broke apart at Kiba's yell. "Hurry up I'm starving!"

* * *

She had agreed to help Shino with his insect collecting, which, in reality meant he collected the insects and she lazily walked around with him, a walk in the forest was always refreshing.

"Tenten; come here."

She spun on the spot and made her way over to his side to find he was holding an orange and black butterfly in his palm.

"Hold out your forefinger."

The weapons mistress did as she was instructed and he placed the butterfly on her finger, she couldn't stop the childish smile that appeared on her face.

"Is this where you give me an Aburame pickup line?"

"An Aburame; pickup; line?" He quoted back and she laughed at his amusement.

"Yea something insect related like; comparing me to this little guy," she smiled down at the enchanting insect still perched happily on her finger. "How I was a caterpillar but now I'm a beautiful butterfly. Girls love that kind of stuff."

"I would never say that; why? It would be untrue."

Tenten had to drop her head and make herself gulp because _man_ did that hurt.

The insect user seemed to notice the shift in her mood because he placed a finger under her jaw and forced her to look at him.

"I would never say such a thing because; from that wording; it sounds like there was a time when you were not beautiful," Shino's thumb grazed over her cheekbone. "And you have always; been beautiful."

And it was in that moment; that all their previous moments seemed to set themselves in the correct places, like a jigsaw puzzle, and she just; _knew_.

"I have to go."

She had to force the sentence out; her head forcing the words to form while her heart tried to restrict her throat from actually saying them.

The Aburame looked alarmed as she scrambled to a stand and away from him; she didn't blame him; _she_ was alarmed. The butterfly flying off at the sudden change.

"Tenten?"

She bolted; both upset and thankful he didn't follow.

Lee called her name excitedly when he spotted her, but his grin was replaced by concern as soon as he was in front of her.

"Friend Tenten what is the matter?"

The weapons mistress sobbed lightly as her arms came up to hug herself tightly.

"Lee;" she hiccupped louder. "I-I messed up."

"What has happened?" the taijutsu user asked placing his hands on her shoulders. "Whatever it is we can-!"

"I-I broke our promise," the beginning tears started to fall from her eyes. "I broke our promise Lee."

She threw herself into him as she started to cry.

* * *

Why did Kiba's birthday have to be a mere week after she'd run from Shino? Why did Ino have to arrange a friend wide dinner for it? And why, oh why, did she stupidly agree to go in the first place? She knew Shino would be there, he was his best friend after all. It was true she had missed him dearly, but she couldn't bring herself to talk to him, to explain why she had run.

"Ugh!" Tenten stopped in the middle of the street to stomp her foot like a child. "This being in love thing is complicated!"

She heard a gasp behind her. "Who's in love?!"

Tenten's head nearly fell off with how fast she spun it around to see, not only Ino, but Kiba, Hinata and Shino too.

The blonde detangled herself from the Inuzuka's arm to run to Tenten looking thrilled.

"Who's in love?" Ino happily asked again.

"Uhh," the weapons mistress's mind drew a blank, even as her eyes unconsciously shifted to look at Shino. "No one."

The blonde openly pouted from the lack of gossip. "But you said-"

"Happy birthday Kiba!" Tenten yelled to cut her off as she shoved the wrapped gift at the dog owner.

Kiba gave Shino a look before plastering on a grin and taking the gift. "Hey thanks Tenten! You shouldn't have!"

"It's only something small! But come on we're going to miss our reservation at this point!"

Tenten then grabbed Ino and started power walking towards their destination.

"Tenten wha-?"

" _Later_ ," the weapons user hissed and Ino only looked more confused.

Towards the end of the dinner, when people were eating dessert and laughing at jokes and Kiba was happily opening presents, Tenten asked Ino could she talk to her outside and the blonde, still obviously worried from earlier, agreed.

"So, you finally going to tell me what's going on?" The Yamanaka asked when they were standing outside in the empty street at the back of the restaurant. "Did something happen with Shino?"

Tenten spun on the spot to blink at her. "How did you know that?"

"Kiba told me Shino's been pretty miserable this last week," she broke off to look contemplative. "Well, more so than usual."

Tenten groaned unhappily stomping her feet again making Ino look taken aback.

"Ino I really messed up!"

"What did you do?"

"I think-" Tenten hid her face in her hands before looking straight at the blonde. "-I think I love him."

The Yamanaka looked ecstatic, throwing her fists in the air. "That's great!"

"No; Ino; that's _bad_."

Ino lowered her fists a fraction and her smile fell completely. "It is? Why?"

"Because he's a _clan member_ ," **Tenten hissed before adding. "Not to mention a _clan heir_ at that!"

Ino only looked more confused and a little offended. "Tenten; _I'm_ a clan member; _I'm_ a clan heir."

"Yes, but I'm not in love with you!" The Team Gai member let out a laugh despite how jittery she felt.

"What's wrong with being a clan heir?" Ino asked placing her hands on her hips now.

"Ino; he's got, you know, expectations put on him," Tenten started giving Ino a 'this should be obvious' look. "And you've clearly forgotten but I'm a clanless orphan, I'm a nobody," Ino's face fell at that.

Tenten spread her arms out and shrugged her shoulders, not stopping the angry-at-the-world look she gained then. "You really think he's gonna accept me when he needs someone of stature?"

"So; that is what was bothering you."

Tenten snapped her head up and Ino turned her head round to look at the newcomer.

"Shino," Tenten managed to say even if she was silently cursing her stupidity at talking about this when he was so close, even if he was supposed to be inside. "What did you-?"

"That; is why you ran," he took steps around the mental jutsu user, who was still hovering near the door, to be in front of her.

"I'm just going to go; you guys clearly have stuff to work out," the blonde haired girl took a step back towards the door and Tenten had to bite the inside of her cheek to stop her calling out to ask the other girl to stay.

When Ino had left the silence was stifling and Tenten immediately wanted out.

"I'm going to go to-" he put a hand on her arm to stop her moving to go back inside. "-Shino I-"

"Is that; what you truly think of me?" He asked his grip hardening around her arm but only for a second. "That I would simply; disregard; your affections; because of my status?"

"I think you have too," she told him honestly moving her arm out of his grasp. "I think you need to marry some high lady or at least a lady from another clan; and I couldn't match up to either. I think your clan members wouldn't give me the time of day if I dated their heir."

"And I have too much pride to battle my way through lines of red tape and rules and regulations to beg some old council members to accept me when they won't because I don't have money, or power, or influence, or a kekkei genkai because it's-" the words of a thirteen year old Tenten came back to her "-It's not worth all the heartache. I would fight Madara singlehanded for you Shino, but I can't fight tradition. That's a fight I can't win. We would both lose."

He didn't even pause before replying.

"That is what; you think we are? What you think we do; to people who love us?"

The weapons user picked up her bravery to look him in the face. "Am I wrong?"

"Yes," the Aburame replied simply making her twitch in confusion.

"Huh-what?" She wore her puzzlement and distrust openly. "What do you mean?"

"You have spent too much time; hearing horror stories; from the Hyuga clan. No offense to Hinata; but her clan is a lot more; rigid; than others."

Maybe she had, wasn't that where he fears started? With how Neji was treated?

"How many people; do you think; willingly; fall in love with a host Tenten?"

Her mouth fell open before she found herself licking her lips in thought at his out-of-the-blue inquiry. "Is that a trick question?"

"I can tell you," Shino continued his voice taking on a darker tone. "The answer; is not high."

Tenten's first reaction was to argue; if the rest of the Aburame were as compassionate, and trustworthy and strong as Shino she didn't know what he was talking about he continued talking.

"And because of this; because of whom we are," the insect tamer took another step closer to her; he was so close now she had to lift her chin to look him in the eye. "We celebrate given love; no matter what the source."

Hope flittered around in her chest like the butterfly he had rested on her finger just over a week ago.

"So; you mean-"

"My clan do not care; for the background of our partners. We care about their character; and I can tell you," he took a hold of her jaw and her lips twitched into a smile. "I; greatly; admire yours."

Her hand came up to cover his and she beamed before laughing at her own self-created fears. "I guess I should have just asked huh?"

"You should have; yes; I agree."

"Forgive me?"

"If; you would allow me to kiss you right now."

The weapons mistress grinned at that. "You can kiss me all you want Shino."

Shino's kiss was light, airy, unrushed, and filled with good, powerful emotions. It made her heart sing and her head feel floaty.

"So, what do you say Aburame clan heir," she grinned as she tugged on the Aburame's green coat collar, slightly breathless from their kiss. "Want to date a clanless nobody like me?"

The weapons user smile turned peaceful and contented when he wrapped her up in a protective hug.

"If by that; you mean; do I want to date you; a beautiful; talented; and respected shinobi; than yes; I would like that very much."

She kissed him then and it was even more breath taking than the last.

When they entered the restaurant again, to re-join the party, Tenten's hand firmly in Shino's, she had to cover her laugh at Ino's happy cheer.


End file.
